


Forced Destiny

by strawberrytiramisu



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Childhood Trauma, Dark Rey (Star Wars), Dark Side Rey, Eventual Rey/Ben Solo, Eventual Reylo, Eventual stormpilot, F/M, Force Dyad (Star Wars), Force Ghost Anakin Skywalker, M/M, Redeemed Ben Solo, Roleswap, Star Wars - Freeform, anakin bitch slaps kylo ren into ben solo, ben solo cries a lot, ben solo redemption, dreamy memories, fuck sheev palpatine all my homies hate sheev palpatine, no weird kinks or anything
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28800348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrytiramisu/pseuds/strawberrytiramisu
Summary: After a decision that splits Kylo Ren in two, Anakin takes the opportunity to talk some sense into his grandson. With a change of heart, Ben starts himself on the path towards a new destiny and is forced to come to terms with his past. Rey, in turn, finds herself moving towards a darker path filled with grief and family, as she strives to find her place in the galaxy. The only thing that links the two is an unspoken destiny, and mentors who leave them with more questions than answers.
Relationships: Kylo Ren & Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron & Finn, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 13
Kudos: 28





	1. A New Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This is my first Star Wars fic so I really hope you guys enjoy! More will defo be coming cuz I cannot get enough of this concept. It rules my life now. Anyways, feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think!! I love hearing from people! Thanks for stopping by and reading! <3 :)

“Thank you.”

The words came out of his mouth with the bite of a viper. Kylo’s eyes pierced into his father’s soul as the red crackle of his lightsaber illuminated them. Han stared back at the man, his eyes frantically searching for any inkling of his son still left inside. The pain of betrayal gripped at his heart, stinging worse than the hole that had been ripped through his chest just moments ago. The sounds of distant cries could be heard as their audience reacted to this turn of events, but neither Han nor Kylo could hear them. The two were locked in a deadly gaze as they both looked their last upon one another. Ren couldn’t feel a thing, like his being was sentient without him as hatred and anger filled his eyes. 

It felt like an eternity before Kylo ripped his lightsaber out of the body of his father, a gasp escaping Han as the corrupted blade found its way out. Han Solo felt the sting of tears in his eyes as he gazed at Kylo wishfully. Slowly, his hand raised to lay gently on the cheek of his son. He wished he could smile at the touch, wished Ben would accept this gesture, but Kylo held still as if Han wasn’t even there. Losing himself, Han thought only of Leia and how he regretted spending so much time away from her. Maybe things could have been different if he hadn’t. The false sense of hope Kylo had just instilled in him burned bitterly in his chest as he stared bewildered at the face of his son. Despite it being the same face, Ben wasn’t there. Just as he predicted. 

Slowly Han fell away, losing his sense of self as the world around him blurred. He couldn’t stand anymore, and before he knew it, he was falling off the platform, just as fast as he was falling away from life. Kylo, who had been observing this seemingly unbothered, watched the body of his father slip away and fall. The farther Han moved out of sight, the more control Ren gained of his consciousness. Dread, pain, sorrow; all of this flooded his senses more and more with each passing second, his ears beginning to ring. He felt his breath hitch in his chest as he watched until he couldn’t see Han anymore. 

He couldn’t help but wonder what the hell he had just done. Gulping the sting of tears and regret away, he looked up just in time to be blinded by the flash of a blaster. With a yelp of pain, Kylo was hit by Chewbacca’s bowcaster. The violent weapon tore a hole in his side, causing him to collapse on his knees, his free hand flying to the wound. The pain seared and traveled through him, and his mind went to what his father must have felt just moments before. Quickly looking up, he managed to watch the scene before him. Blaster fire in every direction, even from above, as his stormtroopers and the three lone resistance members began attacking one another. His breaths were deep in his chest as he applied pressure onto his wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. 

Suddenly, Kylo Ren was blinded once more, but this time it wasn’t from a blaster. Instead, a huge chain of explosions ran up the wall in front of him. Chewbacca had detonated the bombs he and Han had placed moments ago. The bridge he knelt on groaned and rocked at the blast, and his ears rang once more. Yet the ringing was somehow more violent this time. Finally, when the dust settled, he found himself eerily alone. The only sound he could hear now was the crackle of the fire the explosion had created, and the sparking of loose wires. A hole was bust through the wall and he could see the darkened sky above, no sunlight to be found. 

Drawing in a deep breath and holding it, stifling a pained moan, Kylo pushed himself to his feet. Letting his held breath out and breathing deeply now, he extinguished his lightsaber, the blades retracting back into their hilt. Hooking the weapon back on his belt, he focused all his attention at pressing his clothing as tightly as he could to his wound. He needed to stop the bleeding before real damage was done, but he also needed to hurry. Trying to force his thoughts away from his wound, he attempted to focus on his next actions. He knew he had to get out of here and he had to find the girl. He had to leave, even though the back of his mind was still haunted at the image of his father slipping away. 

After a few violent hits to his wound in an attempt to force his clothes to stay against it and disperse the stabbing pain, he was satisfied enough to keep moving. Huffing out a pained breath, he turned and started to move in the direction he was originally headed for. He needed to grab his ship to reach the girl and her friends in time. 

“Ben.” 

A voice broke the silence and Kylo Ren froze exactly where he stood. It was an unfamiliar voice, yet comforting and known in an odd distant way. His eyes frantically searched the space in front of him for an answer though he knew the voice came from behind him. In an instinct of a decision, Kylo grabbed his lightsaber and whipped around, igniting it in the process. The crackling red glow filled his space as his eyes stared at where he had just come from. 

There, on the bridge ahead of him, stood a blue translucent figure. It was of a man in his twenties with dark shaggy hair, a scar over his left eye, and Jedi robes draping over his broad frame. Clenching his lightsaber tightly with both hands, Kylo stared at it unknowingly and almost as if he were challenging it. The figure was unfamiliar to him, and he honestly had no idea what else to do except prepare for a fight. Was this supposed to be his punishment for murdering his father?

“Ben.” The figure said again as it took a step forward. Despite this, the hollow sound of metal was not heard echoing through the chamber. This confirmed to Ren that this certainly wasn’t a tangible being. 

“Ben- is _dead_.” Kylo Ren hissed as he took his own step forward. Unlike this ghost, the sound of the step rang out clear as day. Simply hearing this being have the audacity to speak his name was enough to let anger rage in his chest.

“No…He is not... He’s right in front of me.” It retaliated as calmly as a peaceful day. 

“I _killed_ Ben Solo...I _killed_ Han Solo...I-I’ll kill you too-“ Ren snapped, a wild look in his eyes. How dare this figure come in and tell him who he was. Kylo pushed his anger forward as he let it drive him, took power in it as best he could. However, his heart betrayed his mind as it ached with regret and longing. 

“I think I would know my own grandson.” The figure spoke softly. This caused Kylo’s facade to falter as he felt his weight shift from his toes to his heels. His breath hitched as his eyes widened before suddenly it all returned to his persona. 

“You are _not_ Darth Vader-“ Kylo barked back, the tip of his lightsaber suddenly pointing forward from outstretched arms as he threatened the man in front of him. His eyes stared over the crackling blade, watching the seemingly unfazed man with eyes like a hawk.

“No...no, I’m not…” the figure said, shaking his head a bit in response, “But I _am_ your grandfather. Go on, Ben...search your feelings..” He encouraged, “You know it’s true.” 

Ren pursed his lips as his brows furrowed in anger and confusion. While Kylo wanted to run away from this, to continue his mission, the force pulled him in. As much as he tried not to search his feelings, he had no choice. The pull he felt to this being was undeniable. This _was_ his grandfather. This _was_ Anakin Skywalker. Slowly, his lightsaber dropped from two hands to one as it rested at his side, as his anger drew back to make way for confusion.

“I...don’t understand..” Kylo croaked out, feeling his throat tighten. Before now, he’d never seen his grandfather. Not like this. All he ever heard was the voice of Darth Vader in his mind, pushing him and encouraging him towards the dark side. But this man in front of him was young and sounded nothing like he knew.

“Ben...I couldn’t get through to you until now,” Anakin started, taking another step forward. This time Kylo did not step in any direction. “Palpatine had locked me out, kept you in darkness.”

“Palpatine-?” Ren muttered quickly in a bewildered tone. It was an all too familiar name, despite not hearing it in ages.

“Yes, I’m afraid so. He is behind this, all of this. The first order, Snoke; it’s all him.”

“H-How-....I don’t…” Ren’s words barely found their way out. This was too much information to process at once. Palpatine was dead, he had been dead for years. If he was really behind all this, Kylo didn’t understand how he hadn't heard about it until now.

“I understand this is a lot, but Ben, I need you to listen. He _is_ using you, your father was right-”

“Don’t!” Kylo snapped, feeling his throat tighten and his eyes sting. The quick movement of his body caused him to wince as pain shot through him. “ _Don’t_.” He warned. He didn’t need to hear his absent grandfather lecture him about what he’d just done.

“I feel your pain. I feel your regret, your fear, your anger, your sorrow. I know that you thought killing Han was what you wanted,” Anakin spoke softly as if Kylo’s outburst didn’t even happen. The words caused Kylo to wince and look away, fists clenching at his sides as he tried to hold back the anger Anakin’s words brought him, “But it wasn’t...It tore you apart, pulled you back to the light…..it let me come to you.” He explained. 

“You don’t know- _anything_!” Ren snapped, turning back to look at Anakin once again as tears filled his eyes. Drawing in a few heavy breaths, something inside told him that, as much as he hated to admit it, Anakin was right. Despite wanting to continue to claim the other’s ignorance, the knowledge and wisdom Anakin possessed surrounded him. He felt as though he were backed into a corner.

“But I do. I understand what you’re going through more than you could ever know.” Anakin assured, raising his brows as if trying to convince Kylo of this. Truly, he knew what the other was going through in this moment better than anyone else could. Kylo himself gulped back a lump in his throat. His grip tightened around his lightsaber as if he were using it to desperately cling to the dark side itself. The mere mention of Han was enough to send his emotions spiraling, and now to hear his grandfather truly connect to his pain made him weak in the legs. Suddenly, the sorrow he had been holding back filled him and he fell to his knees. Tears streamed from his eyes uncontrollably as he looked up at this ghostly figure of his grandfather. 

“Ben...” Anakin tried softly, offering the boy a saddened look. 

“It’s too late...“ Kylo whined softly, breath hitching from both the pain of loss and his wound. “I can’t turn back now.“ He truly believed this, just as he had moments before, telling himself this as he plunged his weapon into his father. He had done too much, killed too many, hurt far more. 

“You can.” Anakin quickly encouraged, moving closer still until he stopped right in front of Ben. Slowly, he crouched so their gazes could meet on a level playing field. “I know your pain, I understand your pain...I felt it too. I thought it was too late, but like me, you can make things right..” He tried, mentioning his own life in an attempt to relate to Kylo, to show him that hope was never lost, no matter how far gone one thought they might be.

“I can’t…” He mumbled as he tried desperately to hold back the flow of tears, to no avail. It was as if some part of him was trying to convince him he couldn’t, to hold him back in the dark despite relating to everything Anakin said. It was almost like he was trying to justify Han’s death this way. To stay in the agony of the First Order as punishment, instead of being free of this place.

“In every Jedi’s life, there is a moment that will try to sway us to the dark side. Some take it, and others never understand how they could. You and I both were swayed by the power the dark side could offer us. But like me, you can still return to the light,” Anakin spoke softly and calmingly as he attempted to soothe the aching Solo. “It took me many years to realize what I needed to do. It took Luke-” Ben grimaced and shook his head at this, the memory haunting him. The mere mention of his Uncle’s name caused a bad taste in his mouth. “-saving me to make me realize what I had to do.”

“Whichever Luke saved you is gone...he did this to me, grandfather…” Kylo urged, his heart aching from recollection. It was clear from his reaction and his words that he still fully believed this was all Luke’s fault.

“Luke was caught in a moment of weakness, and he lives his life in regret of what he’s done,” Anakin explained, “But this is not about Luke. Let this be your turning point. The light needs you, Ben.” He encouraged, trying to deflect the conversation away from Luke. It was something he could do nothing about at the moment, and it was better to focus on what needed to be done now. As Anakin spoke, Ren’s head slowly began to hang as his mind tried to process this. 

“I...I don’t understand how this can be….” Kylo whimpered mostly to himself, “How can this be happening? How can it be truly you, and how can I be sure?” If he truly had been tricked this whole time, manipulated by forces he didn't understand, how could he be sure what was real and what was fake?

“It is me this time. Darth Vader is dead. He died a long time ago,” Anakin began, reaching a hand out and resting it on Kylo’s shoulder. Despite the hand visually being there, Ren didn’t feel the heavy weight of a normal hand. Instead, he felt a sort of warm but distant pressure, this no doubt having to derive from the force itself. But this feeling filled him with an overwhelming sense of belonging, familiarity and emotion. It was as if Anakin was passing the light he felt onto his grandson, “Now, it’s time for Kylo Ren to join him.” 

Gulping, Kylo Ren moved his head to look up at Anakin once more. The flow of tears hadn’t stopped though, as he stared sadly at his grandfather. Perhaps he was right, perhaps it was time to go home.

“What would you have me do…?” He croaked out after a long moment, pursing his lips to stop potential sobs that he could feel rising in his chest. Anakin offered a weak smile at this.

“You must return to the light. You must make things right and end Palpatine’s reign once and for all.” He said simply. Kylo grimaced slightly at this. How was he to return home after what he had just done? How was he to face his mother, especially now?

“I….I’m afraid…” Ren admitted feebly, almost as if the words would make him weak. 

“I was too… But it’s okay to be afraid. You _have_ to make things right.” Anakin assured, smiling genuinely now to back up his words. Kylo drew in a deep breath, nodding a bit as he tried to comprehend everything. Slowly, his finger moved over the activation plate of his lightsaber and, in a matter of moments, the red glow disappeared back into its hilt. Nodding to himself now, Anakin stood back up and looked down at Ben. 

“I am proud of you, Ben.” He promised. Drawing in a deep breath, Ben put the saber back on his belt and moved to stand himself. He wrapped one arm around his wound while he used the other to help him up. In doing so, he let out a small yelp as the pain ran sharply through his body. “You must go now. But you need to know some things before you do.”

“Okay…” Solo murmured, though his physical attention was on attempting to push his clothes into the wound to work on slowing the bleeding. 

“Palpatine resides on an unknown planet called Exegol. Luke Skywalker is the last known person to have searched for it-” Anakin began. 

“Of course he is...” Ben scoffed aside slightly, clearly not being able to let that whole thing go as easily. 

“-Second is about the girl. Ben, the light needs you. _She_ needs you. You see, her lineage is….well…” Anakin drew in a breath. This caused Ben to look up expectantly with a questioning gaze in his eyes, “Ben… She’s a Palpatine..” At this, Ben’s eyes widened and he took a small step back with one of his feet. 

“Sh-...she’s a _what_ …?” He gasped out, looking almost horrified, though disbelief was his most prominent expression.

“Yes… She is the grandchild of the emperor. But she needs you, Ben.” the elder Skywalker pressed forward, “No doubt once he realizes that he’s lost you, Palpetine will turn to her to replace you. You must _not_ let that come to pass, do you understand?”

“I...I understand but...There’s no way she will believe me, no way I can speak to her.” Ben blurted out, simply stunned by this information. He knew that the girl was talented and untrained, but he could have never suspected such a lineage to be the reason why. 

“The path before you will not be easy, I won’t pretend it is. But you must not let Palpatine sway her. It is critical. Now, you must hurry.” Anakin stated as he glanced back for a moment. 

“I- I don’t feel ready- please, don’t leave just yet-” Ben pleaded, taking a step forward this time, wincing as he did so. Fear and innocence filled his eyes at the prospect of having to continue on by himself, “-I can’t do this alone.”

“I cannot help you any further, though I will always be with you. You’ll never be truly alone again. I promise you this,” Anakin nodded with a warm smile before it all faded away, “Now you must go. There’s little time left.” And with that, Ben was left standing alone. 

Drawing in a deep but pained breath, the young Solo regained his bearings. Eyes searching the area as if looking for some hidden mentor to guide him, he tried to comprehend that he was truly alone now. Gulping, he turned on his heels and marched towards the launch bay. As he moved, his mind raced for thoughts of what to do, of what to say when he found the girl. He knew that she had seen his murder, knew that this would be anything but easy. 

As he moved through the cold hallways of Starkiller base, platoons of troopers and officers rushed to and fro, but none paid attention to Ben. This was something he was utterly grateful for. The last thing he wanted to do was pretend to be Kylo Ren in front of them, especially when he was having a hard time drawing the line between the two. While Anakin’s words pushed him to the light, motivating his walk, he couldn’t help but feel the pull back to the dark. It would almost be easier to remain as Kylo Ren. He wouldn’t have to face the girl, he wouldn’t have to face Chewbacca, and he most certainly wouldn’t have to face his mother. But Anakin was right. Ben had wanted to finish what his grandfather started, it just took this long to realize it wasn't Darth Vader’s path he was supposed to complete. 

The familiarity of the base was enough to let him get lost in his thoughts. Ben’s feet had carried him to the launch bay without him even realizing. TIE-Pilots were scrambling around as they rushed desperately to board their ships, and troopers hurried to help launch the fighters. After surveying the scene briefly, his eyes locked onto his personal ship, the TIE-Silencer; a sleek rounded rectangular black hold with wings shaped like daggers stretching ahead. Despite everything, it was a ship he had actually grown to enjoy flying; no doubt a trait from his father. 

A stabbing pain shot through him from his wound, causing him to ram his fist into his wound to disperse it with a grunt, before walking with purpose towards his ship. The last thing he needed was to be stopped. Luckily for him, the panic of the troopers caused them to pay little to no mind to their supreme leader’s apprentice. He managed to climb up and drop into his ship albeit with a bit of struggle and pain. Gulping softly, Ben powered up Kylo’s TIE. Before he knew it, the vessel was whooshing out of the bay and headed towards redemption. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tysm for reading!! Feel free to leave a comment and lemme know your thoughts! <3


	2. Return of the Jedi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emboldened by Force-ghost Anakin's pep-talk, newly revitalized Ben Solo rushes to confront Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a lil chonky, a lots happening! But I hope you enjoy it anyways! I'm very excited about this chapter sooooo ENJOY!! <3

“Hurry! The Falcon is this way!”

Finn’s voice rang out as the two rushed through the snow. Rey’s eyes were still filled with tears as she followed closely behind, the blaster Han had given her gripped tightly in her hand. What she had witnessed had most certainly torn her apart. Kylo was right; she had started to see Han as some kind of estranged father figure. After he had offered her a job, after Maz had told her there was nothing left for her on Jakku; Han Solo had started to become her future. They both were missing something that the other could give: Han a child, and Rey a father. But now, Rey was left alone again, dealing with the repetition of trauma and anger while trying to escape this death planet, and it was getting to be too much. 

Rey had been so lost in thought, she hadn’t realized Finn had stopped until she slammed into the back of him. Both letting out a grunt, she added a quick “sorry!” into the stumble before looking to see why they had stopped. 

There, in front of them, stood the figure of Kylo Ren. It stood tall, yet weary, as one arm was wrapped around his side, the other holding up a cautious palm to halt the two in their tracks. It seemed like an eternity in this position, the two staring at the one as they all tried to comprehend the predicament they had found themselves in. 

“Murderer!” Rey shouted suddenly, her voice echoing through the cold silence that rested in the air. This caused Ben to flinch softly, gulping back the lump in his throat. He knew that she was right. He knew what he was, and Anakin was right. This was certainly not going to be easy. 

“I know,” Ben called back, though his tone was soft and sorrowful. Despite this, Rey didn’t seem to pick up on it. Tears slid down her cheeks as she raised her blaster. She was clearly acting in anger. Eyes widening, Ben ripped his lightsaber from his belt and ignited it just in time to block the blast from hitting him square in the chest. Finn, who was stunned at both Kylo and Rey, simply stood paralyzed, “Stop! We have to talk!” Ben tried. 

“Talk?! You must either be playing some cruel joke or you must think I’m stupid!” Rey snapped back, taking a step forward and firing another shot. Ben deflected this one once more, though he winced with pain as the fast movement tore at his wound, “You’re a monster!” She growled before unleashing a fury of blaster fire down upon him. Ben’s movements became more rapid as he desperately tried to deflect the barrage. 

He managed to block all the bolts but one, which streaked past his shoulder and seared through his clothes to his skin. Letting out a small cry, as his free hand flew to his shoulder. Glaring at his fresh wound with gritted teeth, he let out a heavy sigh. Ben suddenly snapped his attention back to her with a growl. In a moment of uncontrollable anger, he shot his hand forward. Using the force, Ben threw Rey backwards into a nearby tree. Hard. Her body flew as if it were weightless, and it slammed into the wood before falling to the ground, still as the snow. 

“ _REY!!_ ” Finn cried out, turning on his heels and rushing to her body, skidding in the snow as he reached her. Quickly, he checked to make sure she was still alive. Luckily, she was, although she was unconscious. Ben, who had realized what he’d done, stared horrified. He almost felt embarrassed, knowing Anakin was probably watching him and shaking his head. Old habits die hard, he supposed, as he drew in a deep breath. Ben started to approach the pair now, hoping he could reason with the ex-stormtrooper about the situation. Finn, who had noticed him coming closer, quickly grabbed the lightsaber that was on his person and jumped to his feet. Seeing it caused Ben to freeze like a deer in headlights. He swallowed back the fear in his throat as the blade was ignited, the blue glow covering all three of them. 

“Please,” Ben breathed out, holding up a surrendering hand though his other still gripped his crackling saber, “I don’t want to fight-”

“Likely story!” Finn scoffed, “You took me from my family, brainwashed me to kill innocent people!” He cried out. Obviously, Finn knew Ren wasn’t personally responsible for his own abduction. But he knew the man was at fault for plenty of others. He was, at least, complicit in them anyway. This caused Ben’s brows to turn up in shame and sorrow; FN2187 was right, even though Ben desperately wished he wasn’t. Finn took no notice of the man’s remorse, continuing his onslaught, “You killed Han, you almost killed Rey! This is beyond talking!” He stated, clearly done with whatever game the sith apprentice was playing. Suddenly, he charged, arms up as he was ready to bring Anakin’s saber down onto Kylo Ren. 

Ben’s face grimaced at this. It seemed he had no choice but to fight. While he slammed fist into his wound to disperse its sharp searing pain, Ben raised his own saber to deflect Finn’s blow. Once the blades made contact, Ben shoved his saber to the left, using the crossguard to take Finn off balance, a successful maneuver. Finn, being pulled to his right, stumbled a few steps away with a gasp. Ben took a few steps back, repeatedly slamming his fist into his wound. He winced desperately as he tried to stop the bleeding and dull the pain. All the movement was tearing at it; he could feel his blood soaking his clothes and dripping down his skin.

Finn, regaining his balance, whipped around with the blade in an attempt to slice at Ren. Ben simply leaned back and out of the way, taking a few more steps back in the process. Stopping his swing, Finn swung it back from where it came. This time, Solo brought his saber up to meet it, the two blades clashing together as he once again deflected Finn’s attack. Ben could feel his rage flaring up again at this whole scenario of having to fight this nobody. He didn’t even want to fight, but if he was being made to, then he would. He drew his saber diagonally as he slashed at Finn. Luckily for Finn, he managed to block it in time. However, the force behind the slash caused Finn to stumble back a few steps. Instead of backing off, Ben wanting to end the ridiculous fight, he spun the saber at his side to keep momentum as he made another swing for his opponent, forcing Finn back again. He kept this barrage up until he had successfully backed the ex-trooper into a tree. Here, their blades clashed together as Ben desperately tried to fling the blue lightsaber out of Finn’s hand. 

They found themselves locked together, staring at one another. An anger filled Finn’s eyes, where desperation filled Ben’s. Despite the clear remorse on his face, Ben’s plight was ignored by Finn, in favor of the anger consuming the ex-stormtrooper. Ben took a small step back, breaking the contact of their interlocked blades. He quickly spun his saber at his side, before making another diagonal strike at the blue saber. Finn was quick to block the strike as Ben’s crackling saber made harsh contact with its opponent. Victoriously, with the force behind his strike, Ben managed to fling Anakin’s lightsaber out of Finn’s hands. The saber flew off and out of view, extinguishing in the air as it did so. 

Now, Ben brought his crackling lightsaber to his opponent’s throat. Fear replaced the anger in Finn’s eyes as he stared at Kylo Ren. Finn gripped the tree behind him, as if holding onto the tree would save him from the monster who held him hostage. Both breathed heavily as they stared, trying to steady themselves. In a desperation only one could have in their perceived facing of certain death, Finn quickly threw his head forward into Ben’s, effectively head-butting him right in the nose. Ben cried out in pain and stumbled back, his free hand flying to his nose as tears stung in his eyes once more. 

Finn took this opportunity to scramble away clumsily, holding his head through the pain and stumbling. He hurried off in the direction the saber flew, coincidentally in the same direction where Rey still lay. 

Letting out a growl of anger, attempting to ignore his probable broken nose, Solo looked up to see where Finn had gone. Seeing him scramble towards the saber, Ben panicked, reaching out his hand and desperately using the force to freeze Finn in his tracks. Finn let out a strangled gasp as he was suddenly paralyzed. 

“I-I’m sorry-“ Ben murmured softly before using the force to render Finn unconscious. Lowering Finn’s body gently into the snow, the young Solo took a few steps back and a few deep breaths. He squinted at the splitting headache caused by the hit to his nose, gasping in pain as he tenderly touched it to assess its damage. Wincing, he slowly pulled his fingers back to have a look, only to see a decent amount of blood resting on his gloved finger tips, “Great...” he muttered to himself. First his side, then his shoulder, and then his nose; surely the injuries had to stop piling up at some point

Suddenly, a sound filled the silent air. Ben’s head snapped up, just in time to see the now standing, conscious Rey ignite Anakin’s lightsaber. 

Rey, who had come-to just moments before, had awoken to an unconscious Finn face down in the snow, with a seemingly victorious Kylo Ren standing a few feet away, saber still sparking. Her eyes had flicked back and forth between Finn and Ren, as if trying to put the pieces of what had just happened together. Unfortunately for Ben, she concluded that he was the reason Finn was face-first in the snow. Finally, her glare zeroed in to where Ren was standing. Anger filled her being, brows furrowing over darkening, furious eyes. Ben, who had been watching this unfold, eyes widened in horrifying realization. 

“Wait! We need to talk!” He quickly protested, out stretching a hand and taking a step forward, wincing as he did so. 

“Enough talk!” Rey barked back, taking a step back with one leg as she prepared to sprint towards him, “You’ll pay for what you’ve done!” And with these words, she charged. Ben quickly swung his saber in front of him, ready to block her oncoming attack. He reminded himself that he needed to be on the defense, not to let his anger get the best of him as she drew closer and closer. 

She jumped into a strike, the blue saber once again coming down towards his head. Ben blocked it hastily before pushing back, causing the blue saber to retreat back from where it came. Rey stumbled back only slightly, seemingly much more prepared for hand to hand combat than Finn had been, no doubt due to her experience with wielding a staff.. In a swift movement, her two hands on the saber changed to one, using the momentum to swing it behind her back, before coming back up for a diagonal slice. 

Jumping back at this unexpected attack, Ben quickly moved his blade tip down and to the left to block the strike. The sound of the blades clashing echoed across the snow, piercing the silence. Letting out a sigh of relief that he had been able to block himself from yet another injury, he lifted his saber in an attempt to toss his opponent to his side. But instead, Rey took a step back, pulling her blade to her side as she did so. He quickly pulled himself back, keeping his saber at the ready for the next attack.

This attack soon came after they broke away from each other. Rey brought both hands to her saber, raising it above her shoulder and swinging at Kylo once more. Gritting his teeth, Ben raised his saber to block it, followed by yet another attempt to toss her saber out of her hands. But this was harder to do to Rey than it had been to do to Finn; she was clearly prepared for his repetitive move. Blue saber bouncing off of the red, Rey quickly released one of her hands from the hilt of her weapon, spinning it over her head and attacking from the other side.. Not expecting this, Ben had little time to react. The only thing he could do was jump back and hope for the best. He managed to get enough out of the way to save his legs. However, the blue blade ripped through his trousers on the right side of his thigh, searing his skin. 

Letting out a yell of pain, Ben dropped to the ground to his knees, face twisted in a grimace as yet another wound was added to his tired body. Rey seemed unphased by Kylo’s clear defenceless position, bringing the blue saber above her head, ready to strike down with the final blow. Clenching his jaw, Ben raised the crackling saber above his head to protect himself,just in time for the weapons to collide. The pressure from Rey pushing down and Ben pushing up locked them in their position, both staring at one another. Rey’s expression was filled with anger and sadness as her cheeks glistened from tears, where Ben’s face bore the expression of fear and exasperation, both emotions covering the pain in his eyes. Staring up into her face chilled him to the bone. The sneer on her lips, that glint in her eyes; it was all too familiar to him.

“Please-” he croaked out through gritted teeth, desperate to speak to her. Anakin’s words of warning echoed in his mind, reminding him of what he needed to do, “I need-to talk-to you!” He managed out, arm starting to shake from the pressure. The two stayed like this for a moment, though Rey’s brows softened. The anger that was clouding her started to recede as she looked down upon Ben’s face. Seeing this made him slightly hopeful that she would listen. 

“Rey…Do it.” a dark and raspy voice echoed from seemingly nowhere, causing Rey to raise her eyes and look around. Quickly, she looked back down to Kylo, who seemed unfazed, as if he heard nothing. 

“Listen to me,” Ben tried again, “I know- who your parents are-”

Her eyes widened at this, and she felt her hold weaken, caught off-guard by Kylo’s words. Her mind spun as the years of waiting came crashing down on her, and the realization that the truth could be revealed to her by her greatest enemy sent her into a panic. She didn't understand how he could steal her future yet understand her past better than she possibly ever could. It felt like a lie, it had to be a lie. Her fears flooded her, overcame her as she struggled to understand. Uncontrollably, Rey’s chest began to rise and fall rapidly. She broke contact from Kylo’s saber, taking a few stumbling steps back from him, clearly shaken to her core. Ben, now free, let his lightsaber fall to his side, panting from the pain filling his body at all angles. With heavy steadying breaths, he used the back of his free hand to wipe the blood from his nose, shaking it off with a flick of his wrist. 

“You’re lying.” she growled out, though tears started to fill her eyes, hands shaking as they held the blue lightsaber in front of her. 

“I-I’m not.” He huffed out in return, looking up at her as his freehand now found itself against the wound in his side, once again trying to slow the bleeding. Finally they could talk, maybe hope wasn’t lost. 

“He is lying.” The dark voice called once again, Rey’s head whipping from side to side, looking for the source, before looking back to Kylo. Again, he did not react to the voice. Gulping, she felt fear now, unsure as to who or what was speaking to her. Whoever it was, it was convincing. Kylo most likely wasn’t telling the truth, why would he?

“Liar!” She hissed out, gripping the saber in her hands tighter as she glared forward. Suddenly, she ran again to bring down the blue saber back on Kylo. Ben’s brows furrowed and he threw a glance upwards, as if he was looking for Anakin to fix this mess, before he quickly raised his saber hand again to intercept, letting out a cry of pain as he did so. The pressure they were both exerting was back, and they were locked once more. 

“If you’d just- let me explain!” Ben called out with a grunt once again through a clamped jaw. The pain and the blood loss was starting to get to him, and his arm began to shake more by the second as he attempted to keep her at bay. His heart started to sink as he watched the familiar look creep its way back into Rey’s eyes. 

“Do not let your guard down, Rey.” The voice spoke up again, and this time, she didn’t question it. With a growl, she pushed her whole weight into the saber. Gasping slightly, Ben moved his freehand from his wound to his saber, using both hands to hold her back. 

“Murderous snake!” She snapped out, pushing as hard as she could. Ben, who was starting to get tired of not being listened to, could hardly take this any longer. His expression started to mirror hers as decided he was done; if she wasn’t going to listen on her own, maybe he could make her. 

With both hands firmly on the hilt of his saber, Ben suddenly shoved to the left. She stumbled to the side as Ben used the momentum to spin himself up to his feet. Anger and adrenaline rushed over him again as he ended the spin with an attack at Rey. She quickly lifted her saber to block herself, however, her grip wasn’t as strong as she wanted it to be. Anakin’s saber was dislodged from her hand as Kylo’s made contact. For Ben, his head suddenly began to spin at the swift movement off of his knees, and in his dizziness, he lost his grip on his weapon. Both sabers now lay in the snow together, deactivated, a few meters away from each of their wielders. 

The two of them were left staring empty-handed at one another. Ben, once again realizing his anger had taken over him, looked apologetic towards Rey. However, she stared angrily at him, the cloud of rage covering her judgement once more. The look in her eyes almost scared him. 

“Reach for it, Rey. Claim your weapon.” The dark voice spoke up once more. Pursing her lips, her head whipped to face where their sabers had landed. Quickly, Rey outstretched a hand, trying to use the force to return the weapon to her. Ben gulped and did the same, though his movements were accompanied by a pained noise. 

Both sabers, which had landed rather close to one another, rumbled in the snow as if they were being ripped in two different directions. But this was extremely odd, Ben thought. Usually when he called, his saber would come immediately. But this time was different, for reasons he didn’t know. Glancing over at Rey, who seemed focused on his task, he returned to doing the same. 

Suddenly, both the sabers jumped out of the snow and flew towards the two force users, and, in an instant, both weapons found their respective hands. The two wielders immediately flipped to face one another, igniting their sabers as soon as they felt the cold metal against their palms. The glow of weapons illuminated the dark woods once more, but something was wrong. 

What Ben was staring at shocked him. There, in Rey’s hands, was _his_ lightsaber. The red crackle of the corrupted blade illuminated her features like a hungry fire. His expression of disbelief was reflected in Rey’s face, who stared back at Kylo. He himself was illuminated by the blue, steady glow of Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber. 

“Rey…” the voice called once more. Gulping back her fear, she slowly let her eyes shut as her breaths drew heavily in her chest. Why did this lightsaber come to her? She didn’t understand. She could have sworn she had been focusing on the silver hilt of the other saber, so why were her ears now filled with the sound of the sparking, bastardized blade? 

He looked down at the blue weapon in his hands before immediately looking up for answers. Did Anakin do this? Was this a sign that the dark side had officially shut him out? He wasn’t completely sure, though he was utterly focused on himself and the steady humming of the elder saber, forgetting about Rey for a few moments. 

“This saber has found you, Rey. It feels your pain, your sadness. It wants to help you,” The dark voice spoke knowingly, as it attempted to guide the girl, “Kylo Ren has taken your chance at family, your chance at belonging…” this unknown entity was right, she thought. She could feel her throat tighten and her eyes sting behind her lids, “Take your revenge, child. Snuff out Kylo Ren like he snuffed out…. _Han Solo_.” It hissed the name in her ears as if it was a forbidden secret. The words ran through her like a knife, and she gripped the unstable weapon harder in her hands.

Ben was too preoccupied, staring at the lightsaber in his hand. He felt his chest tighten as his eyes danced around the blue glow, feeling an overwhelming sense of anxiety and sorrow. The last time he held a saber as steady as this was so long ago, before Kylo Ren even existed. And now, this saber chose him, as if signifying his transition back towards the light. It terrified him and chilled him to his bone, yet filled him with a sense of hope he hadn’t felt in years. 

“Strike him now…” the tragic voice provoked, and Rey’s eyes popped open. She could feel a swell in her chest as her eyes rested on Kylo. Rage and distress filling her being, and she let out a cry as she raised the unstable saber over her head. Her yell snapped Ben back to attention with widened eyes. Quickly, he moved to block the strike coming down on him, but it caused him to stumble back. His head ached, his side stung, and the pressure he felt in his leg as he stepped back caused him to grunt in pain. 

Despite her strike being deflected, she let out another yell as she brought the saber down yet again. Holding the steady weapon above his head, Ben blocked it once more, pushing back this time. But this defensive push didn’t knock her off balance, too fueled by rage to be caught off guard. It only caused her saber to bounce back. But, using the momentum, she spun it at her side before attempting to drive the tip forward into Kylo’s midsection. Quickly, Ben used the blue blade to knock Rey’s off course as he jumped back. But in his jump back, he landed on his injured leg, letting out a yelp as he stumbled down to one knee. Trying to recover, Ben gripped Anakin’s saber tightly with both hands just in time for Rey’s next blow; another swing down upon him, over his head. 

By the time the two clashed, he was only half up, the balls of his feet digging into the snow. Angry that her attack had been stopped, Rey let out a feral growl she hadn’t known she could make. She hastily raised her weapon once more, before bringing it down upon Kylo, again and again, rapidly slamming the red blade into the blue.

Looking into Rey’s eyes, Ben suddenly realized why the look in them was so familiar. It was as if he were staring into the eyes of Kylo Ren, and he felt a chill to his very core. With each blow from the red saber, he could feel his knees get weaker and weaker until finally, his legs gave way and he fell straight onto his tail bone. Releasing one hand from his weapon, he reached out to stabilize his fall, keeping his other arm raised over his head as best he could. But the next blow didn’t come from above. Instead, Rey took the opportunity of his fallen state to swing the corrupted blade diagonally upwards; a swing Ben was unable to do anything about.

Ben let out a scream of pain as he felt the tip of his old weapon sear its way from his collar bone up to his cheek and across his forehead. He felt as though he was being split in two, the pain almost unbearable, coupled with every other wound he had sustained. But Rey didn’t stop, raising the red saber above her head once more before quickly bringing it down Ben’s eyes instinctively shut in preparation for something he knew he couldn’t stop. 

Just then, the ground under them rumbled violently. Rey was thrown off balance and to the side. Once regaining herself, she looked up just in time to see the earth splitting before them. With a sound louder than either of them had ever heard before, a crevasse made its way between them, pushing them apart. Ben tried his best to sit up as fast as he could, watching her get farther and farther away from him as the ground shook. 

Rey, now being thrown out of her trance-like state of anger, blinked a few times as she stared at Kylo on the opposite piece of land. Slowly, she looked down to the saber in her hand and it practically horrified her. What had just happened to her? Looking back at Kylo, tears pressed themselves again at the corner of her eyes. Something about the way he lay battered in the snow was almost soul crushing, for no particular reason other than the fact he was like this because of her. But maybe it was justified. After all, he **had** murdered Han. Suddenly, Rey turned on her heels and bolted off in the opposite direction. 

“Wait!” Ben called out, quickly trying to get up, only to fall forward into his knees with an outstretched hand. But it was too late. Soon enough, she had disappeared into the rumbling forest. Slamming his fist into the snow in frustration, Ben let out a cry of pain. It was becoming increasingly obvious now, especially that his adrenaline was wearing off, that he was in desperate need of medical attention. Tears began sliding down his face despite himself, all the pain being too much to bear silently. 

Drawing in a deep breath and holding it, Ben pushed himself up to his feet as quickly as he could with a muffled scream of pain. He had to find a ship and get out of here. No doubt the reason for the sudden barrage of earthquakes was because the resistance had successfully infiltrated Star Killer base. Extinguishing the saber he held, Solo turned and headed back the direction he came in an attempt to find his TIE-Silencer. 

Stumbling through the woods, blood dripping behind him as he kept one hand to his wound, Ben tried his best to retrace his steps. In all the fighting, he hadn’t realized how far he’d actually gotten. As he walked, the first thing he came up on was FN2187, who still lay face-first in the snow. Gritting his teeth, Ben seriously considered leaving him there. Staring down at the unconscious man, it took another sharp rumble under his feet to make his decision. He had to help.

He tried stooping down, but this ended in him falling to his knees once more. Grunting and wincing in pain, he sighed and pushed the saber onto the clip on his belt. He gripped Finn by the arms now and attempted to stand. His plan was just to drag him through the snow, but this was extremely difficult, his leg wound and side wound searing at the extra weight. Letting out a cry, he collapsed to the ground again, bringing Finn down with him. Growling, he rammed his first into his side again. As much as he wanted to wake the ex-trooper, they didn’t have time to deal with the hostility that came along with that endeavor. Blinking the pained tears away, he reached for the other’s arms once more to try again.

Out of seemingly nowhere, a ship flew overhead. Squinting up at it, it didn’t take a genius to recognize its familiar shape. The Millennium Falcon hovered ahead before pulling down towards the shaking earth. Just seeing the ship caused Ben’s chest to tighten. Once the ship landed, Ben almost had a shred of hope that Rey would walk out of it with some kind of changed heart; that Anakin had gotten to her too. But instead, as the boarding ramp lowered, someone he really hoped he wouldn’t have to see so soon stepped down. 

Chewbacca, bowcaster in hand, stepped his way down and into the snow. It only took him a second to see Kylo Ren before he immediately raised the weapon without hesitation. 

“WAIT!” Ben cried out, raising a hand up and bowing his head. Normally, Chewbacca wouldn’t hesitate, but memories of Ben as a boy flooded him for reasons he couldn’t explain. Perhaps it had something to do with how beat up and defeated Ren looked. He paused, staring ahead and waiting expectantly for Kylo to speak again, “Please... we have to get out of here first,” he begged, really not wanting to deal with this now as the planet crumbled underneath them.

Saying nothing, Chewbacca looked between Kylo and Finn before shaking his head. Putting the bowcaster at his side, he moved forward towards the two of them. Seeing the Wookie come closer made Ben flinch and hang his head. His face scrunched as if he was preparing for the worst. Surprisingly, nothing ever came. Instead, his senses were filled with the familiar feel and smell of Chewbacca’s fur. Blinking a few times, Ben looked up to see what was going on. 

“(Where is Rey?)” is all Chewbacca said in Shyriiwook as he stared down at Kylo Ren. His tone was absent and monotone, as if he was trying desperately to distance himself from the situation. Ben gulped back the lump in his throat as he stared up. 

“Rey…” Ben repeated. “Rey...she’s gone. I-I don’t know….” He croaked up, brows turned up apologetically. Chewbacca said nothing in response to this. The large being then pushed past Ben, lifting the unconscious Finn over his shoulder. Once secure, Chewbacca turned and walked back to the Falcon, seemingly disregarding Ben. The young Solo stared, almost bewildered. Watching Chewbacca board the Falcon made his heart sink a bit. If he were to leave without him, Ben wasn’t sure what he’d do. Suddenly, the Wookie stopped. It was a moment of hesitation before he finally looked back towards Ben. The two shared a long look before Chewie turned his head back, disappearing into the Falcon. 

Taking a moment to understand, he watched the loading bay, half of him expecting it to go up. But it didn’t. Drawing in a shaky breath, Ben wasn’t about to pretend to be humble about this. He pushed himself to his feet as best he could and stumbled towards the Falcon. Just as he stepped on to the boarding ramp, it started to close. The movement caused him to fall to his knees on the cold, yet familiar, steel. 

Staring up now at the entrance into the rest of the Falcon, Ben let out a quiet sob. His stomach churned as he stared at the interior. It had been years since he’d stepped foot onto the Falcon ship, and all of it reminded him of the murder he had just committed. In that moment, he let himself truly cry. He was alone, surrounded by the one thing in the galaxy his father had loved almost as much as he’d loved Leia. Both arms wrapped around his midsection, Ben doubled over on his knees. A mixture of tears and blood fell to the metal floor as he let himself have this moment. Years of pent up loneliness, sorrow, and anger flooded out as his body attempted to cleanse itself of every bad thing that had happened over the past few years. He felt alone, though not as lonely as when he had been fully ensnared in the clutches of the dark side. 

It took him a while of sobbing and rapid breathing until he finally calmed himself down. Slowly but surely, his breaths returned to semi-normal, and all the pain of his wounds came rushing back in. Slowly looking up to find he was still alone, Ben drew in a deep breath. He could feel the soft rumble of the ship underneath him, and it occurred to him he wasn’t sure when they had started moving. Once again, he pushed himself to his feet, this time with much more stumbling and struggle. The realization that he needed to help himself asap was setting in. Gritting his teeth, Ben began to make his way into the rest of the ship. 

Stumbling down the hallway, he tried his best to have blinders on. He kept his eyes down, though he navigated the ship as if it were second nature. And to be honest, it was. Making his way into the main hold, eyes still to the floor, he found where the medpacs were kept. Luckily for him, there was one left. Gratefully, he picked it up and hobbled over to the seating that semi-circled the holo-chess table. Plopping himself down, he moved to open the pack. Glancing to his side, he noticed a still unconscious FN2187 sloppily placed into the lounging bed in the corner of the room. 

Sighing softly, Ben opened the kit. Inside he found a clean cloth, bandages, spray-bandages, bacta, an irrigation bulb, and synthskin. It seemed as though this pack was incomplete, but it would do. Setting the open pac on the table, Ben drew in a deep breath. Undoing his belt and taking off his gloves, he tossed them to the ground, but not before removing the lightsaber from his belt and placing it onto the holochess table. Next came his tunic, and finally his undershirt, which all came off quite painfully. Both were heavily caked in blood, which made it all the more painful to pry off his body.

Now that the wound in his side had nothing to stop the blood, it started spilling out freely once more. Gritting his teeth, Ben grabbed the cloth and pressed it to his wound. Quickly, he took the irrigation bulb and used it to cleanse the wound. Finally, he took the synthskin. Dipping his fingers into the gel, he rubbed it over the wound. Touching it caused his face to twist into a grimace as he applied it. While it was painful at first, it only took a few moments before the pain dulled and the bleeding stopped as the synthflesh did its job, acting as if it were his own skin repairing the hole. While he could still feel the pain, he was in much less severe danger as the medical supply completed its mission. Sighing softly, Ben grabbed the cloth bandage and began to wrap it around his midsection gently, yet tightly, wincing every time it made its way over the wound. Once he ripped and tied it off, he sighed and set it down. One down, four more to go. 

The lightsaber wounds were much easier to tend to. The heat of the blade cauterized all of them, yet painfully seared the flesh, so each of them felt like they were on fire. Tending to his leg wound first, Ben shimmied down his pants enough to reveal the wound, wincing all the while. Once revealed, he again used the irrigation bulb to cleanse it before going ahead and putting the bacta on it. Lastly, he wrapped it up with a bandage and pulled his pants back up to rest on his hips. Next, he moved on to the wound at his shoulder, repeating the exact same process; irrigation bulb, bacta, bandage.

Finally, he moved on to the large cut that extended from his collarbone to his forehead. He repeated all of the same steps he had with his other wounds, only this time, he opted to use the spray bandaging. It was clear he could use nothing else, so using one hand to shield and the other to spray, he applied the substance. It stung at first, but soon the pain dulled enough to not have to wince every second. 

Finally, mostly patched up, Ben took a clean side of the cloth and pressed it to his nose with a sharp hiss as he leaned forward into his knees. Keeping his eyes closed, he tried his best to clear his mind. Suddenly, the ship jolted, though the movement didn’t jostle him much. It was a familiar jolt that he recognized as the ship jumping into hyperspace. 

After what felt like forever, Solo finally looked up and around. The images of the ship that surrounded him caused a predictable reaction. His chest tightened as a lump in his throat reformed. Staring around, his eyes rested on the Dejarik table next to him. Tears welled in his eyes once again, as though he could almost see Han teaching him the game. Shaking his head, Ben stood to his feet abruptly. Glancing around, he strode off down the port side corridor and towards the crew quarters.

Once there, he began digging through the few drawers in there. Eventually, he came across an old white shirt. It seemed to have been there for quite a while, and Ben couldn’t be sure it was even his father’s, though the cut was very resembling what he’d normally wear. Pushing the thought that it could be his aside, Ben slipped it over his head gently and let it fall into place. He wasn’t about to put Kylo’s clothes back on if he could help it. Trying not to think about it, Ben put the cloth back to his bleeding nose and exited back towards the main hold. 

Ben returned to the main hold, and at the most unfortunate time. The same time he entered the room, so did Chewbacca from the opposite side. Freezing where they stood, they both found themselves staring at one another. Ben had a look of fear and sorrow behind his eyes, where Chewbacca had fury and grief. The two stared for a considerably long amount of time, both unsure of what move to make next. The only reason Ben assumed he wasn’t dead yet was because of how close the two of them had been before Luke and Snoke and, well, Palpatine. 

“I...” Ben started, though the singular syllable crackled out of his throat, causing him to purse his lips awkwardly. Gulping back the block in his throat, he tried again, “I-I’m sorry…” was all he could manage, a few teardrops rolling down his cheeks. Chewbacca took a second to glance over Ben, clearly taking notice of the change of top, the wound that ran down his face, and most of all, the look in his eyes. 

“(Why’d you do it?)” Chewy asked wearily, sadness raking his roars as he questioned the other. The question made Ben’s nose scrunch a bit and his brows move further up. He didn’t really have an acceptable answer for this. 

“I-I thought it was what I wanted. I-” Ben tried, glancing away, as he couldn’t bear to keep eye contact with the daggers Chewbacca’s look was shooting at him, “I see now how mistaken I was. I’m…” he hung his head, sniffing back the sobs that wanted to break through, “I….I just wish I could’ve realized it sooner.” There was a moment of complete silence between the two, the humming of the Falcon’s hyperdrive the only noise to be heard. 

“(And Kylo Ren?)” Chewbacca questioned finally as he broke the silence. 

“He’s dead.” Was Ben’s quick response as his head shot up to look at the Wookie. There was another long pause. 

“(You’re going to have to talk to her..)” Chewy spoke. 

At this, Ben quickly looked away and clenched his jaw. Nodding slowly, he muttered, “I know…” His words trailed off as he slowly shut his eyes. Pursing his lips lightly, he desperately tried to keep the tears at bay. He was starting to feel embarrassed over how much he was crying. But seeing Leia again terrified him and filled him with regret. And yet, the moment was coming, and coming soon. He tried to clear his mind, feeling his fists clench and unclench as he did so; he was desperate to relax the anxiety that flared up in his chest at just the thought of his mother.

Suddenly, he felt the large embrace of his god-Wookie. Ben froze, whole body going rigid at the feeling of Chewbacca’s fur against his body. It occurred to him now that no one had embraced him in years. Ever so slowly, he melted into it, pressing his face into the Wookie’s chest and beginning to sob once more. 

Hearing Ben say that Kylo Ren was dead compelled Chewbacca in ways he never thought the other could. He finally saw Ben as himself for the first time in decades. He had practically raised Ben alongside Han and Leia, he had been there since the beginning. And seeing the look of that uncorrupt boy again, really gave him all the proof he needed. Tightening his grip a bit on the young Solo, though careful not to put too much pressure on him, Chewbacca let out a soft and sorrowful noise. This only caused Ben’s breath to hitch before continuing to sob, hands balling in the Wookie’s fur as he gripped to the other's comforting presence. 

Eventually, Chewbacca flinched a bit to signal the hug was over. Reluctantly, Ben let go of the other and took a step back, sniffing as he did so and using the back of his hand to wipe at his eyes. He avoided making eye contact with the other, though he could feel him staring down at him. 

“(So what happened? Is Rey gone too?)”The Wookie asked, almost hesitantly. Gulping back the emotions from the memory, Ben shrugged. 

“I, well…I tried to convince... _Rey_... that I needed to talk to her and she just...kept fighting me and losing control of her emotions until the planet split us apart,” Ben answered, though his words were shallow and distant, “Then she ran off... When I search now, I can feel her presence in the force but...it’s distant,” he noticed he was rambling a bit and gave another small shrug, “There’s a possibility she could’ve found my- Kylo Ren’s TIE…”

“(I hope so..)” was Chewbacca’s only answer. He wanted to know more, but honestly, Chewy didn’t feel as though it were his place to press. He decided he’d leave that up to Leia. Anyways, he didn’t understand the force, only that those who could read it were rarely wrong. Hearing Rey could still be alive definitely made him feel a little better. Glancing over at Finn, he gestured, “(what about him)?” Looking over now to where FN2187 lay, Ben’s brows raised a bit. 

“Him? He’s fine. I used the force to render him unconscious. He’ll wake on his own, though I can wake him whenever,” Ben clarified, “He was adamant about getting in my way, so I did the-kindest?-thing I could think of… Sorry…”

“(Oh, I don’t care. As long as he’s not dead.)” Chewbacca shrugged before turning and heading back towards the cockpit. For a moment, Ben thought about joining him, before reading himself and understanding he emotionally couldn’t handle that right now. Moving back to the semi-circle couch, Ben sat on the edge before letting his torso lay back and finally relax into the old cushions. Seeing Chewie head away could only mean one thing: They’d be exiting Hyperspace soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Please lemme know your thoughts if you've got any! Thanks for reading!! <3


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